Divine
by Masami Aomame
Summary: Certain things are meant to be. (Historical AU)


**_Please feel free to enjoy this fic the way you feel comfortable. I write out of my love for SasuSaku and I deliberately post them on a free platform. You don't OWE me any follows/favourites/reviews. I'm very thankful you even gave my fic a chance, I hope you enjoy it._**

* * *

The rhythmic sound of the horse's hooves striking against the stony ground escalates as the rider decides to speed up.

However, nothing is truly audible above the uproar of the violent storm. The bellowing wind, the incessant downpour, the frequent thunderbolts; together they seem to bring forth the message of the world's destruction. As if the last trace of life is about to be eradicated from the face of earth.

But nothing can stop him tonight.

"Come on, Obsidian, we must hurry," he yells over the clamour of the rainstorm.

Obsidian, just as impervious as his master, complies. They flash through the seemingly infinite ravine. Their combined silhouette a tad darker against the blackness that seems to have engulfed the world.

As they arrive at their destination, the rider jumps down from the black leather saddle without wasting a moment. He scrutinizes the surroundings with his piercing gaze and discovers an area near the foot of the hill. Where part of the stony surface has caved in slightly, creating a natural alcove. He escorts Obsidian there in order to provide him shelter from the ongoing deluge.

"Stay here," he murmurs to the dark horse, "You have done remarkably well today, Obsidian. Rest for now. Although…" his words are left unfinished as he stares at the great blackness standing in front of him, "I really hope that your repose does not last long," he strokes Obsidian's mane, just as black and glossy as the coat of hair covering his entire body.

Obsidian neighs.

A slight hint of a smile graces the face of his master, "But once we are done here, I'll make it up to you. You have my word."

He bends his neck backwards to look up as he stands at the bottom of the steep stony hill. The violent raindrops take this opportunity to strike against the pale skin of his face.

The edifice on top of the rocky mound seems so high that it almost feels like it does not belong to this earth. He's heard legends. The highest peak was chosen to build the temple in order to keep it as close to haven as possible. So that, the payers can reach the Goddess easily.

He clenches his teeth at the utter absurdity of the concept.

He looks at the narrow stairs, uneven, steep and damaged in places. On top of that, at the end of monsoon, there are patches of mosses here and there. If he is not very cautious, he's most likely to make it to the underworld before he makes it to the summit.

He waits a while for the lightening to flash a few more times so that he can engrave the structure of the wrecked stairs in his mind. Then he sets off on his quest.

When he finally makes it to the top, he's panting heavily. But he cannot rest. To him, time is of utmost value now.

He stares at the dark stone walls. Who on earth managed to build such high walls on top of a hill as steep as this one? The establishment itself stands tall looking like a black impregnable fortress.

More than a temple, it has the appearance of a prison.

Isn't that what it truly is?

He thinks to himself. Living here all alone, secluded from the rest of humanity, not having the right to leave these walls under any circumstances; whatever exalting term they use to address her, he knows better.

She is merely a prisoner.

He looks at the door helplessly. It has been shut tightly since it's long after sunset. He reaches out his right hand to touch the coarse surface of the black stone. The coldness seems to reach his skin even through the barrier of his black leather glove.

How does she even manage to open and close this heavy door? What are the other revolting tasks she has to take care of here? He clenches his fists, his knuckles turning white under the gloves.

She should not have to do this. None of this. This is not the life she should be living. She should be living in comfort, being showered with affection.

But…

This was her choice after all.

And suddenly, all of his fury finds a channel towards her.

Just why does she have to be so stubborn?

Another thunderbolt strikes above his head, fragmenting the sky into pieces and deafening his ears. It seems so much more intense from this height that it almost startles him.

But wasn't it always him that seemed unfazed by lightening? She, on the contrary, was awfully scared. She'd hold onto his sleeve with her petite, trembling hands whenever there'd be a thunderstorm. She'd be so scared that she'd seem to lose her strength to even speak. He'd draw her shivering form closer to his frame, offering his warmth as reassurance.

_"It's okay, Sakura. I'm here. Don't worry."_

Just how is she living here all these years?

He looks around. The formidably tall and heavy stone door seems to be completely isolating the place from the outside world. How can he draw her attention? Especially in the middle of this riotous catastrophe.

His eyes fall upon the huge iron bell hanging in front of the door. Looking as gloomy and hefty as everything else in the surrounding. A thick rope is hanging from it, reaching the uneven and watery stone floor and already soaked with rain water.

He tries to come up with another alternative. For ringing the bell will count as a display of his respect for the Goddess enshrined here. And that is the last thing he wants to do. If anything, he wants to go ahead and demolish this entire construction and turn the stone statue of the goddess to dust single-handedly. If only this place hadn't existed, she wouldn't have had to part from him.

He has never believed in gods. But he has never been one to openly exhibit insolence towards any of them. But he is willing to go any extent if it means he can demonstrate the degree of his contempt towards the deity this particular temple is dedicated to.

But seeing there's no other way, he steps forward to stand directly under the enormous bell. He requires both of his hands to grip the thick rope but once he manages to grab a proper hold of it, he pulls it down with all the strength he can muster.

The clanging sound almost sends a tremor through his brain. But he pulls the rope once again. He isn't going to stop tonight. Not until she opens the door.

.

.

.

The inside of the temple is very capacious. And right now, it's completely dark except for the torches that have been lit in front of the Goddess' statues.

The area is a perfect square with a yard in the middle; which again, is another perfect square. Its floor is lined with blocks of the same, black stone that every single thing in here is made of. The sound of falling rain drops clashing against them is creating a steady beat. The blocks are cracked here and there, which would normally encourage unwanted weeds to grow. Especially in the rainy season. But under the priestess' watchful eyes, that doesn't really happen. There's a well in the middle of the yard, the half broken stone lining of which barely reaches the knees of an adult. An iron bucket with a threadbare rope tied to its handle is sitting on the ground beside it, and is currently overflowing with rain water. According to legends, the well runs really deep. No one within knowledge has ever made any attempt to verify that.

Surrounding the yard, stands the main body of the temple like a hollow square. The only break in it being the heavy door in the middle of the front wing.

The centre of the back wing is where the main statue of the Goddess is perched in the largest chamber, facing the door. When the main gate is open, one can see the stone figurine without having to step inside the temple.

In the middle of the right wing is a chamber holding a second stone statue; the Goddess as a young maiden. And facing it, in the centre of the left wing, is yet another compartment with another figure. This one depicting her as an old lady. These two figures along with the main figurine where the Goddess is portrayed as a youthful woman depict her ability to look into the past, the present and the future. They denote her divine rule spanning over eternity.

The rest of the construction is divided into smaller chambers. A continuous corridor runs in front of all these compartments and so does three steps of stone stairs connecting the corridor to the yard.

The priestess occupies a small room in the back wing. Exactly to the right of the Goddess' chamber. The rest of the rooms are left empty except for those used to store goods. But most of them remain vacant.

The priestess is inside her room. This room is one of the smallest ones within the temple. But she prefers a small room because being alone inside a spacious one makes her feelings of loneliness much more intense. Besides, here she can pretend that there is someone in the next room. Even if it's just a stone statue. Something is better than nothing.

Currently she is sitting in a corner on an old ragged mat with her legs folded under her small body. The coldness of the rain soaked night is seeping into her bones through the thin material of her clothing. But she doesn't seem to care. She is reading an old script in the yellowish light of the oil-lamp. She has tightly shut the door in a futile attempt to bar the calamities of this fateful night outside. Although she is trying her best to focus on the script in front of her, her mind keeps going back to the tempest outdoor.

As she turns a page, it disturbs the static air, making the flame of the lamp sway. And along with it, her shadow on the stone wall trembles.

Suddenly the violent roar of a thunderbolt resounds through the empty temple compound. Scared to her bones, the priestess shrieks and jumps; extinguishing the lamp in the process.

Trembling in fear, she puts her slender arms around her small figure, tightly embracing herself. But it feels inadequate. She misses his strong muscular arms around her. She misses his warmth and his comforting voice.

Where are you, Sasuke? I'm scared. I'm so scared.

But she knows he won't come. Not anymore. He cannot come. He went far away from her. But she cannot condemn him for she was the one who sent him away. And he isn't coming back to hold her anymore. He never has, in the past five years. And he never will, in the upcoming ones.

He is an enemy now.

So, she does what she always does during such times. She soothes herself.

It's okay. You are safe.

You are safe.

You are safe.

She keeps repeating it like a mantra hoping that hearing it again and again might make her believe those words. Even the most pathetic lies, when repeated numerous times, start to sound true.

It takes her a good amount of time and effort to calm her breathing. But it's nothing new to her. She has lived through so many nights like this that she has lost count. And there were some, even worse.

The vacant temple used to scare her in the beginning. During those early days, she used to spend the nights in the Goddess' chamber. Although she had been warned against it repeatedly.

Disturbing the Goddess after sunset is strictly prohibited. Because it's when she sleeps. She had been told that anyone who interrupts the Goddess' sleep will have to face her ferocious wrath.

But she just couldn't stand the solitude in here. Forlorn, secluded from the world, from everything she grew up seeing, it used to feel ghastly.

On top of that, she never even believed in all the legends about the Goddess and her violent fury. She had her own reasons. If all the tales were true, she was sure to be dead by now.

She reaches out her right hand and picks the lamp up from the floor. Then, slowly standing up, she walks towards the door. She doesn't need light to know where it is.

As she paces towards the next room, the Goddess' chamber, a deep clanging noise enters her ears.

She stops on her track immediately.

What is that sound?

The sound reverberates through the stone walls once again. And then it keeps going.

It's the bell.

As she finally figures out the source of the clamour, the uncomfortable feeling in her mind recedes. But only for an instant.

Who is ringing the bell at this hour?

The only time people visit the temple is on the fifteenth day of every month. The fifteenth day is the day of the Goddess. Coming here on any other day is akin to disturbing her.

The devotees flock here on the fifteenth day, bringing offerings for both the Goddess and her servant. They thank the Goddess for her divine protection, pray for her blessings and then, they leave. By evening, the compound becomes bereft of any mortal beings except for the priestess once again.

Today is not the fifteenth day of this month. And it has been hours since sundown. No normal person in his right mind would be so audacious!

She stands there on the corridor, staring at the stone gate. The unpleasant feeling that had subsided just moments ago, comes rushing back.

But whoever it is, keeps ringing the bell relentlessly.

How can anyone even have the strength to keep ringing that humongous bell for this long?

As it becomes evident to her that the person on the other side of the door is really persistent, she sighs and enters the Goddess' chamber. She lights her lamp from a torch burning in front of the Goddess and goes to the next room. Moments later, she emerges with a white silk umbrella with a handle made of bamboo and a white cotton pouch. She climbs down the three steps of stairs and starts walking towards the door; her wooden shoes clinking against the stone blocks of the yard.

As she reaches the shade near the door, she sets the umbrella and the lamp on the ground and opens the pouch. Taking out a key, she picks the lamp up once again and proceeds towards the right panel of the double-leaf door, unlocking the rusty padlock on the wicket there.

.

.

.

As Sasuke hears a coarse metallic sound coming from the other side of the gate, he finally lets go of the rope. He waits patiently until a wicket opens in the panel to his left. It takes him by surprise because from his side of the door, he couldn't even make out the existence of a wicket gate. But that state of astonishment lasts only until he sees the figure that unveils in front of him.

He sees a small frame, barely reaching his shoulders and clad in a white cotton robe. Her left hand is raised beside her small face, holding an oil-lamp. Her long unrestrained pink tresses are almost reaching her hips. As she takes the time to study her unanticipated visitor, an indication of a frown appearing between her thin pink brows, Sasuke can see the reflection of the lamp's flame in her jade-coloured eyes. Making them look even brighter.

He walks inside through the small door. Because of his high stature, he has to bow his head moderately.

Sakura observes her guest in the dim light of the lamp. He is a head taller than her and his shoulders are much broader than most men she has seen in her life. He's wearing a long black cloak with a hood, obscuring most of his physique. The only other discernible things are his knee high black boots and the black gloves, both made of leather.

He pulls the hood back and she lifts the lamp a bit higher in an attempt to study his facial features.

She should be afraid. This man, standing tall in front of her on this night of calamity in this deserted temple exudes raw, wild strength. If he slaughtered her and chopped her body into a hundred pieces, there's not a thing she would be able to do. And she has never believed the tales of how the Goddess takes it upon herself to protect her servant from peril.

But she isn't the slightest bit scared. It seems as if she has nerves of steel. And that's because she doesn't mind dying. In fact, somewhere in the deepest darkest corner of her heart, she wishes to die. She has no reasons nor any desire to live. She is just too fearful and too exhausted to kill herself.

So, if this strange man standing here in front of her decides to take her life tonight, she doubts she will be anything but grateful to him.

She scans his face properly. The front strands of his hair are dripping with water. The pale skin of his face, covered in droplets of water is creating a striking contrast against his dark black hair and black eyes. His thin lips, sharp nose and the perfectly sculpted facial bone structure has a patrician feeling to it. His gaze is fixed upon her as if…

As if he is waiting for something.

What might it be?

She dares to meet his gaze and the two of them stand there like that. Maybe moments pass or maybe aeons until she gasps audibly and her wide, green eyes go even wider. Her plump pink lips part, revealing her pearl like set of teeth.

Sasuke realises that she has finally recognised him.

"S-Sa-Sasuke?" Sakura stutters while uttering his name.

How can he be here? Just how? Is she hallucinating because she was thinking of him just a few moments ago? But she does that regularly. Thinking about him is her favourite way to divert her attention from the everlasting solitude here.

"Took you a while," he speaks in a deep voice that sends chills down her spine.

He speaks. So, he must be real.

But how?!

She is so astounded that she cannot utter another sound. Her brain seems to have stopped functioning. Living here on top of a mountain in the middle of a barren land, secluded from the world, she has often dreamt of this.

In her dreams, he'd walk through these heavy stone doors, his boots making a crunching sound against the stone floor. In those dreams, it'd always be daytime and she'd always be busy taking care of some chore in the yard. As her eyes would fall upon him, he'd smile at her; his characteristic soft smile that he never showed to another human being. And he'd say to her, "I am here, Sakura. I have finally come to take you with me." Those words would always, always move her to tears and she'd always, without fail, run towards him. Intending to throw herself in his arms and to tell him just how tired she is of living here; in this old ruin of an ancient temple with three stone statues as her only companions. But before she can make her way to him, somehow she'd always stumble and fall face down on the cold hard ground. And then she'd wake up to see a small room with unforgiving walls of black stone in the dim light of an almost dying oil-lamp. After that, she'd sit on the straw mat, drawing her knees near her chest and putting her arms tightly around them. And she'd wail. The sound of her cries would echo through the long empty corridor. Definitely reaching the Goddess' chamber. Disturbing her rest.

But enraging the Goddess has never been among Sakura's worries to begin with.

Recalling those painful nights, her big green eyes tear up once again and before she even knows it, they spill out, flowing down her rosy cheeks, glistening in the light of the lamp.

Sasuke takes the gloves off his hands, and cups her small face in them, gently brushing his thumbs against her soft cheeks, wiping the dampness away.

"Shhhh… it's alright… I am here…" he speaks softly.

Seeing her like this, he almost feels guilty for not coming sooner. But, wasn't she the one that had asked him to leave?

In the past five years, he has often tried to envision an encounter with her, even while being completely aware of the impossibility of the idea. And in all the possible scenarios, he has always imagined himself to be furious at her. To be bellowing at her for her obduracy.

But now that she is finally standing in front of him, looking so fragile and shedding silent tears of agony, his body moves before he can even reason with himself. It has always been like this. He could never stand her tears.

"_It's okay Sakura, don't cry."_

"_Noooo… it hurts."_

_And she continued crying. Unable to find a way to make her stop, Sasuke_ _suddenly_ _remembered something his mother did to him once when he had cut his knee._

_He bent down by her side and held her right arm. He studied the small cut there and then, gently kissed the wound. Sakura, surprised by his action, stared at him._

"_What are you doing?"_

"_I kissed your wound. Now it will get better," Sasuke said assertively. Because when his mother had kissed his injured knee, the pain had gone away in an instant._

_Sakura, however, got a little confused. This method of healing was completely new to her. She tried to focus on the pain for a few moments before_ _declaring euphorically, "It really did! Thank you Sasuke, it doesn't hurt anymore."_

_As a token of her gratitude, she gifted Sasuke with a light peck on his cheek. And the five year old boy couldn't contain his smugness._

But standing here like this, the twenty one year old Sasuke knows that it's no longer that simple. Taking the lamp from her shaking hand, he puts his arms around Sakura, pressing her head gently against his broad, hard chest.

Sakura doesn't protest. As she senses his familiar warmth through the many layers of clothing between them, it seems to calm her nerves.

As Sasuke holds her tightly, he ponders upon how unjustified it is for her to live here. Someone as bright and colourful as her doesn't belong in such a dark, gloomy place.

Slowly, Sakura regains her composure, her head still pressed against his beating heart. And she remembers. Instantly, a strong wave of disgust floods through her every single cell and she jumps away from him.

He didn't come here to take her with him. He is engaged. To the princess of the Land of Fire. He no longer has any reason to come for her.

She remembers his parting words from five years ago.

_"Remember this, Sakura. From this day onwards, our alliances lie with two enemy countries. This is farewell for us."_

Yes.

He is an enemy. An enemy.

Is he here to kill her?

Suddenly, she is scared. For a long time, she has been ready to embrace death. But the idea of it coming by his hands…

Sasuke scowls.

"Sakura?"

"Why are you here?" she spits those words with contempt.

Although Sasuke cannot comprehend what triggered her abrupt change in behaviour, he reminds himself of the task at hand.

"You cannot stay here anymore."

Sakura doesn't understand.

"The Land of Earth is going to be invaded. I believe troops have already been dispatched."

"And I believe you should be with them. Not here with me in the remains of a prehistoric temple," she mocks him.

Sasuke doesn't get provoked like she wants him to. From the very beginning, he never expected the task to be easy. He, of all people is very well aware of Sakura's stubbornness.

"I would be if you were not in danger."

"Me? In danger?" she laughs hysterically. Her laughter sounds foreign to her own ears.

"What's so funny?" Sasuke scowls.

"I am at no risk, Sasuke. I have been waiting to die for who knows how long. Maybe the Goddess indeed is real. So, she has finally decided to answer my prayers. I can finally be free."

Sasuke grimaces.

"You think they are going to kill you?"

Now, it's Sakura's turn to be surprised. They aren't going to kill her? Then…

"The Prince…" Sasuke's blood boils as he speaks, "Tales of the gorgeous priestess with pink hair and green eyes have reached his ears. He wants you for himself."

_Now_, she understands. And _now_ she is scared.

Her pink hair and green eyes. Once again, they are on their way to ruin her life. Wasn't once enough already?

It was because of her unique hair and eyes that she was considered a miracle child; an ideal offering for the Goddess. If only she was normal, if only she was like everyone else, she'd be living a normal life. Like every other normal girl.

But she isn't normal. Maybe she is cursed or something. That's why this is her life.

"Sakura-"

She looks up at him.

"You have to leave."

"I cannot."

"You have no other choice."

"I cannot leave, Sasuke. Why don't you understand?" she yells. And she is crying once again.

Why does he not understand? It's not like she is doing this because she wants to. It's just that she has no other choice.

"I am the priestess."

"What priestess? You have never even believed in the existence of the Goddess to begin with;" Sasuke loses his temper. "And how can you even be a priestess in the first place? You're not a virgin!"

SLAP!

The sound of her palm striking against the wet skin of his cheek vibrates through the semi-darkness of the disastrous night.

"Don't you dare!"

Sasuke glares at her, rubbing his fingers against the place her hand made contact with.

"Don't you dare talk about me like I am some vile woman. Whatever I did, I did because back then I had full faith that one day I'd become your lawfully wedded wife. I saw nothing immoral in it."

"Neither did I," Sasuke hisses through clenched teeth. "And that's the way things should have been. You were meant to be my wife. Not some stupid priestess in an old temple worshiping the skeletons of some ancient statues."

"Why does it even matter to you? You have a fiancé now."

"I have a what?"

"Don't you feign ignorance. I know you are betrothed to the princess of the Land of Fire. So, stop trying to fool me by acting like you still love me," Sakura shouts at him, she goes a few steps backwards in order to create some distance. She ends up stepping out of the shade in the process and the icy cold rain starts to sting her like a thousand needles. But she doesn't care.

"This is why I always told you to not pay attention to stupid gossips spread by fools who only have half the information."

"What do you mean?" Sakura frowns. Her chest rising and falling rapidly because of the sudden outburst.

"I was offered her hand. But I declined."

They stand there in silence. The lamp, now on the ground, glows brightly for an instant before dying out. And darkness finally surrounds its black veil around the two of them.

"Why?" Sakura asks, unaffected by the sudden change in the atmosphere.

"She saved my life once. She is a kind lady. And beautiful as well. But I do not love her."

"I beg to differ," Sakura gives a twisted smile in the darkness, "You sound quiet infatuated with her. It's completely uncharacteristic of you to praise anyone like this."

"You're right!" Sasuke takes a step forward, emitting a wet sound as his leather boot lands on a small puddle of water "You are absolutely right!" another step and he too, is out in the open; standing right in front of her. Just a few inches between them. "That must be the reason I didn't waste a moment before throwing away everything, every single thing I've built up over the course of the past five years and ran here the instant I learned that you are in danger."

Sasuke is standing so close that Sakura has to strain her neck in order to look up at him. But even so, the darkness of the night conceals everything anyway.

"Know this, Sakura," Sasuke grabs her shoulders with both his hands and pulls her to himself. Sakura tires to resist, but in front of his raw masculine strength, she's left rather helpless. "Know this: I am well aware of how stubborn you can be. If you refuse to leave this place, I will stay here as well. Till they come to claim you. And I will fight them."

"You cannot fight an army by yourself. No matter how strong you are," Sakura's voice is starting to shake by now.

"I cannot. I will be pitiably outnumbered. But as long as I am capable of wielding my sword, I won't let any bastard lay his filthy hands upon you."

A pause. Time seems to have stopped for the two of them. Then Sasuke continues speaking.

"To me, loving someone means being ready to give up my life for that person's sake."

And Sakura's head is starting to spin. What is he saying? Is this even real? The doubt that had left her back when he had spoken to her for the first time, starts to get back. What is he saying? How on earth is it possible that Sasuke, her Sasuke is really standing in front of her in this old, deserted temple, holding her and saying to her that after all these years, he still loves her.

Just how can it be?

"H-How can you… how can you…"

"How can I what?"

"Didn't you say we are enemies now?"

"I never did."

"Don't lie!" Sakura screams, tears are running down her cheeks. Not that it's noticeable though. Because of the torrents of rain. But Sasuke knows she is crying. He knows her way too well. "You said that day, that from then onwards, we were enemies."

"I said that from that day onwards, our loyalties lay with two countries who have been each other's sworn enemy for ages."

Sakura stands aghast. It seems to her that she has forgotten to breathe.

"I can never consider you my enemy. Even if you weren't a priestess and we were facing each other on a battlefield."

Sakura covers her face with her small palms. Her body starts to shake.

"Sakura-" Sasuke calls softly as he pulls her closer, "Let's leave this place. My horse is waiting under the hill. He's the fastest horse anyone has ever seen. And isn't terrified of anything. Storms like this cannot slow him down."

"B-But Sasuke, my parents… when everyone comes to know about this…"

"For once in your life, can you think of yourself first? The Land of Earth won't survive this attack. There's simply no chance. I speak from knowledge. These people you are talking about, none of them would even bother to turn around and help you if the prince really comes. And he will. I know him. Your parents have been living a happy life at the capital for the past five years, thanks to your sacrifices. You have given them more than enough. Now, leave them to their fate. Save yourself, Sakura. I beg of you."

Sasuke never begs. The only time she had ever seen him beg was five years ago.

"_Please Sakura, I beg you. Don't accept this," Sasuke yelled as he shook Sakura violently, his grip on her shoulders painfully strong._

"_I have no other choice," Sakura cried as she spoke._

_The wind rustled through the forest, disturbing the canopy of the green leaves overhead._

"_You do. You do. I have already told you so many times. Let's run away together. We'll run to a faraway land. No one will ever find us."_

"_I cannot do that. If I accept this, if I do, then my parents will be able to live in comfort. They won't have to rot away in a remote village at the border of the country. I will do this," suddenly, Sakura's voice sounded full of determination. "I will do this. I will show them that even a daughter can do much for her parents. That not having a son does not mean their life is miserable. I will prove it to them."_

_A bird cried in the distance, breaking the silence of the noon._

"_And what about me? Do you not care about me at all?" Sasuke sounded desperate. If he could, he would drag her and hide her somewhere. Away from the eyes of this cruel, unfair world._

"_You know how much I love you, Sasuke. But please try to understand. If I run away with you, my parents will be punished. And everything that they have been saying over the years about the_ _misfortunes of having a girl child will be proven right."_

"_Who cares about those stupid things?" Sasuke bellowed._

"_I do. And you should, too. Think about it when you calm down. You will understand why I am doing this," she held his face in her small hands; "Follow your dream. Go to the capital and become a respected warrior like your late father."_

"_Don't talk about my dreams," Sasuke slapped her hands away,_ _"Don't you dare talk about my dreams when you are single-handedly destroying the biggest dream of my life. Don't you dare!"_

_And he stomped away, his angry footsteps raising a squeaking noise against the mulch of fallen leaves._ _Sakura stared at his retreating back for a while, tears streaming down her face, her voice choking. Then, she leaned against the nearest tree trunk._ _No longer having the strength to support herself, she slid down, scraping her clothes against the coarse bark of the tree._

"Sakura," Sasuke calls in a gentle voice, wrapping his arms around her small form once again. But this time, he does it with an unimaginable amount of tenderness. As if he is holding a flower inside his fist. His grip, strong enough to hold her there, but not so strong that he'd crumple her. "Let's leave this place. You have done enough. You have lived here for five long years. Now, please, leave this place. I am not saying this out of any selfish desire of my own…" his voice weakens, "Even though I still love you the same, I am not doing this so that I can have you for myself. Once we are out of danger, you can go anywhere you want to. I want you to be happy. I will not try to keep you by force. I'd never do that. It's all up to you."

"I… I still love you, Sasuke," she whispers, burying her face in the dark fabric of his tunic, "There hasn't been a day when I haven't thought of you."

Sasuke holds her tighter, a few drops of tears escape his eyes and pour down his cheeks, mixed with the rain water; falling on her now completely drenched pink hair.

Another lightning strikes the sky, with an earth-shattering roar. But Sakura isn't afraid anymore. Because after all this time, he is finally here. It's no longer a wishful thinking.

"When do we leave, Sasuke?"

"As soon as we can. Although, to be honest, I do have my doubts. The plan was to surround the capital and this temple simultaneously. I'm not sure how far they have advanced, we might have to face them."

"Then, what are we going to do?"

"We have to take the risk. We don't have any other choice. Since this terrain is on the outer fringe of this country, escaping is somewhat easier. If only we can make it to the forest, we'll be safe. I left the night before yesterday when I learned about the prince's motives. At that time, they were already ready to go. Obsidian is the fastest horse, but still. We must hurry. Take the barest minimum with you and let's leave this instant. I am hoping that the calamity tonight works in our favour."

"I have nothing to take with me."

As soon as the words leave her lips, the ground under their feet starts to shake violently.

What now? An earthquake? In all the five years that she has been here, Sakura has never faced an earthquake. And she panics. This temple is in ruins. It won't survive an earthquake as strong as this.

"Sasuke!" she holds onto him tightly.

"I am with you, don't worry," he assures her although he himself does not have the slightest idea about how to deal with this unforeseen disaster. He just stands there on the stone yard, holding her with all the strength he can muster.

The ground stops shaking after some time. It goes completely still as if it was never quaking to begin with.

Perplexed, Sakura detaches herself from Sasuke and takes a look around. Trying to see if the old temple survived the calamity. It's difficult to tell because of the darkness but the lightening makes things visible anyway. And there's no damage within sight.

"That's strange!" she exclaims.

"What?"

"Given the poor condition of the temple, one'd expect it to collapse during such a strong earthquake."

But then, as her eyes fall upon the Goddess' chamber, they go wide in surprise.

Where'd the statue go?

She runs in the direction of the chamber with a bewildered Sasuke following after her.

"Slow down, Sakura. You're going to fall," he shouts but she doesn't listen.

Where did the statue go?

As she finally enters the chamber, she finds it. Completely intact but moved from its usual position in the middle of the altar and currently situated on the extreme left end.

She approaches the altar and she can see that in the now vacant spot where the Goddess once used to stand, there's a square shaped opening.

"What is that?" Sasuke asks, leaning over the altar from her side.

"I… I have no idea."

Sasuke takes a torch that had been lit for the Goddess and climbs upon the stone platform. He inspects the hollow opening.

It's fair to say that it's wide enough to accommodate two grown human beings. And he can see small, stair like stone structures on one of the walls.

"It's an underground tunnel," he murmurs. "This is a trapdoor."

Sakura is utterly flabbergasted. She was never told about the existence of a trapdoor. Did anyone even know?

"Where do you think it leads?" Sasuke asks her.

She has no idea. She is looking at the stone figure of the Goddess, so tall that even Sasuke barely reaches its waist. And she feels like she can see a certain clarity in the eyes where she has never seen anything except eroded ancient stones before. Or is it just her imagination?

"I think it might lead us somewhere safe."

She does not know how she knows this. It just feels like suddenly this knowledge has been engraved in her mind.

"I assume so too."

Sasuke picks up a piece of broken stone and throws it into the newly disinterred tunnel. Moments pass before the sound of it clashing against solid ground echoes from the hollow.

"We are going through this tunnel," Sasuke declares. "We don't know how long it will take us. We need to pack some food. And we will need torches. I saw some burning in front of the statues in the other two chambers as well. If we take them-"

"We won't."

"What?"

"I'll prepare two torches. And pack some food as well. You go set your horse free."

As Sasuke leaves, Sakura bows deeply in front of the stone statue. This has been a regular practice for her for the past five years. But today as she bows her head, drops of tears fall from her eyes upon the stone surface of the floor.

She has never believed that the Goddess exists. That was the reason she had dared to assume the role of the priestess in spite of not being a virgin. She has broken several rules during the past five years. She was sure that if the Goddess was real, her divine punishment would have befallen her long ago.

All those lonesome nights she spent shedding tears, all those nights she conversed with this stone figurine about the boy she loves with her heart and her soul… were they not as fruitless as she thought them to be?

Were you listening?

.

.

.

Before leaving, Sakura locks the padlock on the wicket door properly one last time. She visits the two chambers where the two statues of the Goddess as a young girl and an old woman are situated and makes sure that the torches are burning. In the main abode of the Goddess, she stands in front of the statue for a while before Sasuke calls out her name.

"Sakura. Let's go now."

"Thank you," she utters in her mind.

.

.

.

As they finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, an ecstatic Sakura jumps out of excitement.

"Sasuke! Look! Look! We made it."

"We did," he gives a contented smile as his grip on her hand becomes stronger as an indication of assurance.

It still feels like a dream to him. He thought it was concluded five years ago. The story that had started seventeen years back when a boy from the last village of the Land of Fire and a girl from the last village of the Land of Earth had met each other in the forest that segregates the two countries.

If he wasn't an atheist, Sasuke would think of it as some sort of a divine blessing that he got her back. Because even a week ago, the very idea of him and Sakura walking side by side holding each other's hand would have seemed like an absurdity.

But life is a strange journey. Sometimes you find something and make it your own only to lose it in the long run. And there are times when you lose something but in the end, somehow it makes its way back to you.

He tugs her closer, certain things are meant to be.

* * *

**Note:** The temple is one I saw in a dream 6-7 years ago. It was so vivid that back then my hands were itching to write a story about it except… I had no idea how to write one and had no plots in my mind. So, this time, I decided to use it. I became really sad while writing about Sakura's life at the temple. But in my dream, that temple was like a manifestation of loneliness. There was a very old woman who couldn't even stand straight and she was sweeping the yard. As I set foot inside the tall, grayish stone walls, she said to me, "You can't leave. You must stay here from now on. I'm finally free." That felt so creepy that I still remember it clearly after all these years (It was in January 2013).

I'm not trying to send any religious messages. I'm an atheist and irreligious. But it's a work of fiction and I like the concept of a Goddess helping a sad girl. I mean, gods are supposed to be saviors, right? I kind of took idea from the Goddess Hecate but other than that, she's just imaginary.

Whatever, I hope you all are doing well.

Love,

June ❤️

[07.04.2019]


End file.
